Object complements vs. indirect objects

Another common sentence pattern is subject + verb + indirect object + direct object. Here’s an example:

Muaz (subj) showed (verb) us (indirect obj) his photography (direct obj).

Muaz is the subject,
showed is the verb,
and photography is the direct object.

The indirect object — the recipient of the direct object by way of the action of the verb — is the pronoun us.

Now compare that to this sentence using an object complement:

Muaz (subj) considers (verb) photography (direct obj) [his main art form] (noun phrase).

Here, the subject (Muaz)
and the direct object (photography) haven’t changed,
but the verb considers
and the noun phrase his main art form, clue us in that this is about rounding out our understanding of what Muaz’s photography is rather than describing how he shares it with others.

An indirect object typically receives a direct object, while an object complement describes or names it.

Indirect Object

Indirect objects are a grammatical component in English that typically receive the direct object of a verb. In simpler terms, the indirect object indicates to whom or for whom the action of the verb is performed. It often answers the questions “to whom?” or “for whom?” regarding the direct object.

Structure:

A sentence with an indirect object generally includes a subject, a verb, a direct object, and the indirect object. The typical order is: Subject + Verb + Indirect Object + Direct Object.
Key Points:

Not always necessary: Not all verbs require an indirect object.
Positioning: The indirect object can appear between the verb and the direct object, or it can follow a preposition like “to” or “for”.

Directly following the verb:

Example: “She gave her friend a gift.”

Subject: She
Verb: gave
Indirect Object: her friend (to whom she gave the gift)
Direct Object: a gift (what she gave)

Using a preposition:

Example: “She gave a gift to her friend.”
Here, “to her friend” serves as a prepositional phrase indicating the indirect object.
The structure changes since the indirect object now follows the direct object.

Another Example: “I made my brother a sandwich.”

Subject: I
Verb: made
Indirect Object: my brother (to whom I made the sandwich)
Direct Object: a sandwich (what I made)

Using a preposition: “I made a sandwich for my brother.”

The meaning remains the same, with “for my brother” indicating to whom the sandwich was made.

More Examples

“The teacher taught the students a lesson.”

Indirect Object: the students
Direct Object: a lesson
“They sent their grandparents a postcard.”

Indirect Object: their grandparents
Direct Object: a postcard
“He told her a story.”

Indirect Object: her
Direct Object: a story

Summary

In summary, indirect objects in English sentences help clarify to whom the action is directed. While they can be positioned immediately after the verb or introduced by prepositions like “to” or “for,” understanding their role can enhance clarity in communication.

Using infinitives with Indirect objects

Infinitives can be used with indirect objects in sentences where the infinitive acts as the main verb, and the indirect object typically receives the action of the verb. Here are three examples:

I want him to help me.

In this sentence, “to help” is the infinitive. The indirect object “him” is the one receiving the action of the helping.
She asked them to join the meeting.

Here, “to join” is the infinitive. The indirect object “them” is the group being asked to join the meeting.
We told her to call us.

In this example, “to call” is the infinitive. The indirect object “her” refers to the person being told to make the call.
In each of these examples, the structure presents an infinitive that involves an indirect object receiving the action implied by the infinitive.

Gerunds + Indirect Objects

Gerunds can function as nouns in sentences and can take direct and indirect objects. When a gerund is used with an indirect object, it usually indicates to whom or for whom the action of the gerund is done.

I gave my friend a chance (to practice singing).

Here, “practicing singing” is a gerund phrase, and “my friend” is the indirect object receiving the “chance.”
She offered her brother a chance (to cook dinner).

Here, “playing games” is a gerund phrase, and “their children” is the indirect object that benefits from the “more time.”
In these examples, the gerunds are functioning as nouns that describe the action given or offered related to the indirect object.

Prepositional Phrase + Indirect objects

Sure! Here are five examples of sentences that contain indirect objects used with prepositional phrases:

She gave the book to her friend.

(Indirect object: her friend; prepositional phrase: to her friend)
The teacher explained the lesson to the students.

(Indirect object: the students; prepositional phrase: to the students)
He sent a letter to his parents.

(Indirect object: his parents; prepositional phrase: to his parents)
They offered help to the neighbors.

(Indirect object: the neighbors; prepositional phrase: to the neighbors)
I made a cake for my sister.

(Indirect object: my sister; prepositional phrase: for my sister)
In each of these examples, the indirect object is receiving the action of the verb, while the prepositional phrase provides additional information about the recipient.